Biobased products (for example, biodiesel and/or biolubricants) typically include long chain, fatty acid alkyl esters produced from vegetable oils or animal fats by transesterification of the fatty acid glycerides with alcohols. Biodiesel typically include long chain, fatty acid alkyl esters produced from vegetable oils or animal fats by transesterification of the fatty acid glycerides with lower alcohols (for example, methanol and/or ethanol). Biolubricants may be prepared through transesterification of glycerides with alcohols having carbon numbers ranging from 5 to 12 or greater, branched alcohols of similar molecular weight, or transesterification of fatty acid methyl esters. Due to environmental concerns bio-based products in many formulations are being used as substitutes for the petroleum-based products. Biobased products derived from vegetable and plant products, such as soybean, sunflower, and rapeseed etc., are renewable, biodegradable, less environmentally hazardous, and safer to handle. Similarly, other renewable sources of fatty acid glycerides include rendered animal fats and waste cooking oils from commercial food production. Rendered animal fats and waste cooking oils may also be used in the production of biodiesel fuels and biolubricants for automobile applications, mechanical engine applications, cosmetic applications, and soaps.
Transesterification of fatty acid glycerides may be used to improve the fuel value and lubricant utility of the fatty acid glycerides. The production of useful industrial compounds from naturally-derived and sustainably-produced fatty acid glycerides is made difficult by the presence of lipophilic or oil soluble material which must be removed to permit the following transesterification to reach a high level of conversion and economic efficiency. Such problems with seed oils include degumming, the removal of phospholipids; deodorizing, the removal of free fatty acids; and bleaching, the removal of finely divided solids and colored materials. Conventional processes that use alkaline catalysts for the production of fatty acid methyl esters may be highly sensitive to the presence of contaminates in the fatty acid glyceride phase. Moisture may deactivate the alkaline catalyst. Free fatty acids present in the starting material may inactivate the alkaline catalyst and produce soaps; and unsaponifiable materials may react with such catalysts. Water and/or soaps interfere with the separation of glycerin from the fatty acid alkyl ester mixtures. Additionally, the final product may have to be blended with other oils to adjust the free fatty acid content and/or reduce the content of contaminants in the final product.
Many methods and/or catalysts for the transesterification of fatty alkyl acids have been proposed, however, many methods require purification of starting materials, removal of water from the starting fatty alkyl acid, and/or steps to remove by-products formed from the esterification reactions. The processes and systems described herein provide an efficient method of transesterifying both edible and non-edible vegetable oils in refined or unrefined forms at mild conditions. Further, the processes and systems described herein provide an efficient method of simultaneously converting free fatty acid contaminants of naturally-derived and sustainably-produced fatty acid glycerides at mild conditions. Such combined methods enable economic benefits and make the bioproducts an economical alternative to petroleum based diesel and lubricants.